NDLEA Investigates Arik Air Staff Arrested for Cocaine Possession in London

National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) operatives are currently investigating the case of Arik crew member, Chika Egwu Udensi, who was arrested on Monday night by operatives of the United Kingdom Border Force for allegedly being in possession of 20 kilogrammes of cocaine.

According to Punch, on Tuesday night, NDLEA agents stormed the headquarters of Arik Air in Ikeja Lagos following Udensi’s arrest.

The report further states:

The NDLEA agents were said to have searched Udensi’s latest Range Rover parked on the airline’s premises. Arik spokesman, Adebanji Ola, confirmed the visit by the NDLEA’s operatives.

Udensi was arrested at the London Heathrow Airport shortly after an Arik Air flight W3101 that departed from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, touched down in the UK.

Udensi’s arrest came barely two years after two crew members of the Arik Air were similarly nabbed by the UK Border Force in London.

Officials of the NDLEA on Tuesday put the street value of the drug found with the suspect at £350,000 (N105m).

The Arik Air on Tuesday confirmed the arrest of its cabin crew member by the UK Border Force.

The airline, in a statement which read like the one issued after the 2013 incident, said it had commenced investigation into how the banned substance got into the suspect’s possession.

The statement by Ola, read, “A member of Arik Air cabin crew was on Monday night arrested at the Heathrow Airport, London, by the UK Border Force in connection with alleged possession of item suspected to be a banned substance.

“The airline is presently carrying out its private investigation to determine how the cabin crew member came about the suspected banned substance.

“Arik Air will also be cooperating fully with the UK authorities and other appropriate agencies in their investigations.”

The statement added, “The airline again reaffirms its commitment to the fight against drug and illicit substances trafficking and will not tolerate the use of any of its aircraft or crew for the courier of banned items and substances.

“Arik Air carries out very stringent checks on all members of staff and its travelling guests ahead of all flights. The airline will continue to focus its attention on measures to prevent the possibility of any future similar incidents.

“Arik Air is a responsible Nigerian company, always seeking to maintain and uphold the integrity and proud reputation of the nation.”

You had a good job with a good exposure. Why then did you allow some semi illiterate and chronic illiterate brainwash you into carrying cocaine? They must have called you” mumu” for not knowing you can make much more monies doing extra.

Sorry you fell for it and now you must dance to the music!

They also preached to me to take a few wraps some years ago in my post teenage years. I refused and avoided that human being for fear of sliding some substance into my luggage. He told me i how dull I was for travelling to UK “empty handed”and how my mates where making fortune. It took me years of hard work to make same millions but I am very proud of it. In your case you jumped at it? Disappointed in Mr. Udensi cos you don’t look hungry but greedy!

Very hard to pity someone like this because he had a job for goodness sake! It’s one thing to see an unemployed person attempting to smuggle drugs out of frustration (not like that is an acceptable excuse) but another thing entirely to have someone with a reasonably well paying job doing same. This just boils down to GREED and trying to live above one’s means.

..Nigerians oh Nigerians, who do i blame..temptation, greed,or Nigeria?… To the MD/CEO of ARIK AIR…its either your organisation has been infiltrated by an external drugkingpin..or you have some high-ranking employee that is an inhouse drug kingpin.

@swizzey I feel U.. Everything about this air arik is a damm mess. From customer services to videos I have seeing on line to all the foolishness of this crew member.. I have never used it bit chai I’m always warned by FAM members to RUN & stay away 🙂

Good for you. When you do DIRTY, do it with sense. A cabin crew having a range rover sports. That was where u shot urself. If u had a job paying u enuf to afford a range, commom sense Would be that u drop the job of a flight attendant. Fresh boy no brain.

Pressures of being big in Nigeria, who wants to be seen as a failure? When young women are looking for lush leather seat brand new Benzes, Range Rovers before they say hi to toasters, and the definition of doing okay or normal these days is living in a house valued at 70 million and above or owning one despite the fact the salaries don’t quite compute. And are the jobs even available? While corruption-related money fuels insane house prices and standards of living in Nigeria, people then become corrupt to cope. 2 bedroom in Burj Khalifa the tallest building in the world in the centre of Dubai is $70,000 a year and above, they have liver to be asking for $100,000 minus service charge in parts of Ikoyi in Lagos that is the world’s most expensive slum. All of a sudden for people who grew up in Surulere, it’s just not good enough any more, we’ve all become pseudo-elite and poshed to out-posh because of too much stolen money in the system . Someone was asking why Rick Ross shot video in the Lagos slums when they have the likes of Ikoyi etc, I had to ask the person is that how the 70% of people live in Lagos or the 80% sef? We are all hypocrites with this thievery and corruption abeg, If you’ve sat at that young man’s table and quaffed Champagne of 10k USD despite knowing his official salary is 250k a month, you’re an accessory after the fact abeg.

Wow, you’re so on the money with this comment. Lagos truly is the world’s most expensive slum! I work in Ikoyi, and I decided to go for a walk, and found myself in Obalende…..omo! I thought I was in Mushin, this is real ghetto!

I think we keep forgetting that Nigeria is a third world country…allow me to repeat that, THIRD WORLD COUNTRY. Forget that you’re living in Lekki 1, or Ikoyi, you are surrounded by crushing poverty.

Quite an unfortunate position we find ourselves in, we could have made a turn for the better, unfortunately our greed (now a generational problem) got, and keeps getting, the better of us.

I tire. That USD 70,000 a year in Burj Khalifa is for two bedroom furnished, paid in two cheques USD 35k every six months. With fridge, TV, better luxury furniture, security etc. Some landlord in Ikoyi will tell me pay rent for empty property with $100,000 for starters. Then add $20000 as service charge. All to be paid at once or even for two years at a go. In dirty Lagos of all places. How will people not turn to criminals biko? Nigerians live in a bubble of falsehood.

This is one of those cases where lifestyle and income don’t match, but he could have defended the ownership of a range rover by saying he runs a side business. Everybody in Nigeria has a side business whether profitable or not, whether legitimate or not.

At least he got caught in the UK…max 15 years in prison as opposed to a life sentence or death in Asia.

In life we all have a choice to make,be it good or evil. We shouldn’t use one man’s crime or sin as a yardstick to judge d lot. I say dis with regard to d company in question. That in the history of arik air three cabin crew members have been caught with drugs in the UK doesn’t make d company a bad compan. It’s simply d wrong choices made by d said individuals.I’m sure there are a lot more crew who have turned down such opportunities. It happens in all airlines around d world. The amazing south African airways have had a good number of their cabin crew and even pilots trafficking drugs and yet the people do not paint d airline as a bad airline,that’s because they know it’s down to d choices d individuals make. Being in d aviation industry I know that drug barrons will always contact crew members because of the relaxed method of scrutiny they go through. If u are there u never know Wat u wld do wen presented d golden Apple. So pls do not be too quick to judge d poor arik community because it is just a reflection of what our great nation Nigeria has become. No integrity.

I still have people asking me why i am not rolling in millions as i worked in that airline for five years as well. Its about perception and the way people respect material things here. No one cares how you get the money, instead you become highly respected even in your family.

When presented a golden apple, be sure its not rotten!

They have to truly start scrutinizing because as at years back, cabin crew drove jeeps! Some took loans and others? well…your guess is as good as mine!

Na wah o. Kw this guy too well. Both is sec sch (govt collage umuahia) and university (ABSU). Has a beautiful wife who is a nurse in canada wit 2 kids. Chika was a correct, cool happening guy way bk then. Just feel sorry for him and his wife. Don’t kw wetin go drive am into this. Greed I guess. Well he will learn his lessons. All I can say is thank God it’s not in Asia. Na funeral arrangements we for d talk now.

We have the worst in our Government, if we can criticize them as we do here or even take a mass action…we will not be seeing our youth in these mess. Fix the problem, fix corruption, fix Nigeria. It’s just sad that this happened and when one falls all friends and family run and deny him. He made his choice, as bad as it is in our eyes, it is his cross. You all should stop casting stones, because most of the so called rich men you have in your families do worst things than drugs and are celebrated. Chika, is a childhood friend and a brother, from GCU to ABSU, you can only be around him to know how kindhearted he is, I pray that God will be with you as you pay the price of your actions, you shall not die but you shall live to proclaim the good works that God brought you here for. You are loved by all who know you and that will never change, even as the almighty sees and knows your heart. He will keep you. He that falls, shall he not rise? Be strong as you face the law…made for us and not them. He without sin cast the first stone…